Ward finds the range from deep for UVM basketball

Cam Ward closes out first half with half-court buzzer beater as the Catamounts rolled over Maine 99-82 on Wednesday.
ALEX ABRAMI/Burlington Free Press

Catamounts guard Cam Ward (14) shoots a 3-pointer during the America East quarterfinal men's basketball game between Maine and Vermont at Patrick Gym on Wednesday night.(Photo: BRIAN JENKINS/for the FREE PRESS)

Story Highlights

Sophomore Cam Ward has made 15 of his last 22 3-pointers.

The Catamounts are shooting 55.3 percent from the floor in 6-game winning streak.

The left-handed sophomore on the surging University of Vermont men’s basketball team, Ward canned a 45-footer to close out the first half of Wednesday’s 99-82 America East quarterfinal win over Maine, an arcing swish that earned a place as SportsCenter’s top play later that night.

It was not the first time Ward dialed up a winning shot as the scoreboard approached triple zeros.

Ward delivered twice at the buzzer early in his hoops career to send Marshall High School, planted in the southern end of Wisconsin, to walk-off tournament wins in back-to-back seasons.

“I’ve seen him do it over the years, he’s done it so much. I expect it from him,” said Cam Ward’s father, Dennis Ward. “He’s never been afraid to shoot, he’s always been a pressure shooter.

“If he gets the opportunity, he’s got ice in his veins.”

Excuse Dennis Ward for his full belief in his son. Perhaps countless shooting drills as a youngster in a local gym — at least two 3s in five attempts from five spots beyond the arc, starting from the beginning if he failed, as his father looked on — formed Cam Ward’s deadly range.

And perhaps working on his dribbling skills in his driveway, with the Space Jam movie soundtrack blaring in the background, perfected Ward’s stop-and-pop.

Catamounts Guard Cam Ward (14) celebrates a three pointer during the America East quarterfinal men's basketball game between the Maine Blackbears and the Vermont Catamounts at Patrick Gym on Wednesday night March 2, 2016 in Burlington. (BRIAN JENKINS/for the FREE PRESS)(Photo: Brian Jenkins)

Ward’s bomb at Patrick Gym on Wednesday highlighted a 24-point performance, tying a career-high. Ward finished with six 3s — all swishes — to continue a string of hot shooting. In the last four games, the 6-foot-2, 170-pound guard has drained 15 of his 22 triples.

Since UVM started its six-game winning streak, its longest of the season, Ward has hit on 59.6 percent of his shots. The offensive splurge lifted Ward’s season average from 8.4 to 9.7 points a game, which puts him fifth on the team behind Ethan O'Day (11.7), Trae Bell-Haynes (11.7), Ernie Duncan (11.2) and Kurt Steidl (11.1).

“There is no better feeling, especially when your teammates are looking for you and (you're) hitting shots for them,” Ward said. “It gets the fans into and gets Patrick Gym riled up.”

And Ward is not the only Catamount gaining confidence in that department.

As Vermont (20-12) prepares to host New Hampshire (19-11) on Monday night in the league semifinals, its offense has hit another gear.

During their winning streak, the Catamounts have averaged 86.2 points a game, cleared 90 points three times, and are shooting 55.3 percent from the floor (187 of 338). The Cats have also made 51 of 109 3-point attempts, good for a 46.8 clip.

“We are starting to finally see our guards coming together like we envisioned it would,” UVM coach John Becker said. “That’s been a credit to those guys, making some sacrifices and no one has exemplified that more than Cam.

“He’s embraced that role, of a guy who can come off the bench, play both guard positions and provide a scoring punch.”

Sharing the league's sixth man award as a freshman a year ago, Ward was slow out of the gate to open his sophomore season. He scored only 13 combined points in the opening four games in November. His 3-point percentage was a shade north of 30 percent until catching fire in the last four games.

"Sometimes with shooting you struggle and you don’t know why," said Steidl, the program's current career leader in 3-point shooting percentage. "He could be shooting the ball really well in practice and then in games, it just isn’t going in.

"I’m not exactly sure why but I know he kept his confidence up and he just kept playing and attacking the basket when he wasn’t shooting well."

Catamounts Guard Cam Ward (14) leaps to take a shot during the America East quarterfinal men's basketball game between the Maine Blackbears and the Vermont Catamounts at Patrick Gym on Wednesday night March 2, 2016 in Burlington. (BRIAN JENKINS/for the FREE PRESS)(Photo: Brian Jenkins)

A player who shows his emotion on the court, Ward said he was frustrated with his performance.

"I was coming off a pretty good year my freshman year and there were expectations and I was just trying to fulfill them and I guess I let that get to my head," Ward said. "Coach Becker brought me into his office and said, ‘We think you are a great player, we know you are going to make shots, just go out there and play your game.’

"I went back to the gym and started over and kept working on my shot and it all came through at the right time."

And it's coming together for the Catamounts at the right time, too.

While Albany's shocking loss opened the door for a home semifinal date, the Cats earned it by roaring to the regular season' finish line. From Ward's perfect night at Maryland-Baltimore County and his theatrics Wednesday to Duncan's sizzling shooting at Stony Brook and the team's multi-look defense finally playing to its potential, Vermont is a win away from reaching the program's ninth conference championship game, all since 2003.

"It’s exciting and we are right there, we are down to two games," Becker said. "What we want to make sure is we don’t want to get ahead ourselves. Hopefully we can remain loose and confident and give all of our attention and effort to this game."

UVM swept New Hampshire this winter. But like Albany in 2014 and Stony Brook a year ago, the Cats were 2-0 against their rivals before falling in the semifinals.

"I do know that New Hampshire is really good. They are well-coached and it’s always a physical game," Becker said. "It will probably come down to who makes the plays down the stretch."

Tip-ins: Becker is the only coach in school history to lead UVM to five straight 20-win seasons in the first five years. The Cats have won at least 20 games in each of the last eight seasons ... Vermont has advanced to the semifinal round for the 14th in 15 years. ... New Hampshire hasn't defeated UVM in Burlington since Jan. 8, 2000, a span of 16 games. ... UNH sophomore Tanner Leissner, a first-team all-league pick this winter, leads the Wildcats in scoring (15.5 ppg) and is second in rebounding (7.0 rpg). Leissner, though, is 5 of 25 from the floor for 21 points in two games vs. UVM this season."He’s obviously a big part of the scouting report. Hopefully we can continue to do a good job on him," Becker said.

This story was originally published on March 6, 2016. Contact Alex Abrami at 660-1848 or aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/aabrami5

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Catamounts forward Ethan O’Day (32) leaps for a layup during the America East quarterfinal men’s basketball game between the Maine Black Bears and the Vermont Catamounts on Wednesday. Brian Jenkins / BRIAN JENKINS/for the FREE PRESS

Catamounts Guard Kurt Steidl (34) drives to the hoop during the America East quarterfinal men’s basketball game between the Maine Black Bears and the Vermont Catamounts on Wednesday. BRIAN JENKINS/for the FREE PRESS

The teams listen to the national anthem during the America East quarterfinal men’s basketball game between the Maine Black Bears and the Vermont Catamounts on Wednesday. BRIAN JENKINS/for the FREE PRESS

Catamounts Guard Cam Ward (14) shoots a 3-pointer during the America East quarterfinal men’s basketball game between the Maine Black Bears and the Vermont Catamounts on Wednesday. BRIAN JENKINS/for the FREE PRESS

Catamounts guard Trae Bell-Haynes (2) leaps for a layup during the America East quarterfinal men’s basketball game between the Maine Black Bears and the Vermont Catamounts on Wednesday. BRIAN JENKINS/for the FREE PRESS

Catamounts guard Cam Ward (14) leaps to take a shot during the America East quarterfinal men’s basketball game between the Maine Black Bears and the Vermont Catamounts on Wednesday. BRIAN JENKINS/for the FREE PRESS

Catamounts guard Trae Bell-Haynes (2) drives to the hoop during the America East quarterfinal men’s basketball game between the Maine Black Bears and the Vermont Catamounts on Wednesday. BRIAN JENKINS/for the FREE PRESS

Catamounts guard Dre Wills (24) drives to the hoop during the America East quarterfinal men’s basketball game between the Maine Black Bears and the Vermont Catamounts on Wednesday. BRIAN JENKINS/for the FREE PRESS